For the first time in 224 years, the Barren County coroner opens new location

BARREN COUNTY, Ky. – History in the making happened in Barren County earlier Tuesday morning.

The Barren County Coroner’s Office opened its first official building in county history.

The coroner’s position, which was first established in 1801, has never had a building to call its own until today. The coroner’s office, which now sits at 308 S. Franklin St., has undergone a two-year process since acquiring the building about two years ago, and now after 224 years, the Barren County Coroner’s Office has a new space to better serve the community.

“It was it was history in the making because, the Barren County Coroners never had his own individual office here in Barren County. Not just an office, but its own location. And we’ve been blessed here in Barren County to find an opportunity here to provide that. And, you know, given the opportunity for him to do his job even better than he already does,” said Barren County judge executive Jamie Byrd.

Having its own location has many benefits for an office that only responds during the worst day of someone’s life. One being their own examination room if further tests need to be done.

Previously, the coroner had to use an examination room at T.J. Samson Community Hospital. Another is the privacy it offers to those family members who might want to know more about their loved ones passing.

“We have a place that families can come if, I need to have a sit down, you know, with families, for whatever reason, they want to know why their loved one died. They can come here. We have a good place. It’s, you know, private. We can talk. We can discuss whatever needs to be discussed. And, that means a lot right there. And not having to, go somewhere else to hope that we can, talk about things and nobody else, overhearing or, being there,” said Barren County coroner Tim Gibson.

The next need for the coroner’s office is a cold room in case they need to hold onto a body for an extended period of time, but for now, coroner Tim Gibson and the county government are excited to make history.